Anniversary
by Radical Liar
Summary: It's Beckett and Castle's first anniversary and it goes horribly, horribly wrong.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: I am so sorry, I accidentally uploaded the first draft of the chapter, this is the real deal. Everything else still applies: Timeline of story doesn't match the final epsides, so pretend anything after The Squab and the Quail didn't happen. My apologies for everyone who's got to read now the first chapter again. I hope it's better than the earlier draft - after all that's why I've rewritten it. Oh and I still don't own Castle._

* * *

"Wow, Castle", Beckett almost whistled, "This is amazing." She looked around the restaurant as the maitre d' led them to their table.

"You like?" Castle looked at her, holding her hand.

"Mmm," She nodded, and leaned a bit more into his side. "It's so romantic."

"I did good?" He grinned at her.

"You did very good," she smiled at him.

They'd evidently reached their table because the maitre 'd had stopped walking. He held out a chair for Beckett, waiting for her to take a seat. Castle settled down on the opposite side of the small table for two.

"Your server will be with you shortly, Mr. and Mrs. Rodgers." He handed them their menus and excused himself, "I hope you'll enjoy your dinner."

"Thank you", Kate and Rick replied in unison, not even bothering to correct him. Since going out with Beckett, Castle had started using his birth name alias to avoid drawing any media attention to them, and Rogers, party of 2, had quickly morphed into Mr. and Mrs. Rodgers. Couldn't risk the Ledger announcing their relationship to the world, when they were trying so hard to hide it from Gates at work, could they? That would somehow defeat the purpose.

"How did you even get a table here?" Kate asked him, taking a sip of her water. "This is like the hottest place in town. I can only imagine this place is booked solid since opening night last month."

"I own it", Castle replied.

"Of course," Beckett muttered and then her eyes widened. "Wait, what?!"

"I ran into one of my old buddies from school at the party I told you about, you know the one a couple of months ago."

Kate nodded. She had been torn about whether to accompany him to the Mayor's party. The media was going to be there and if they didn't watch it, they might get outed. Her dilemma had been quickly solved when it started raining dead bodies that week and Gates ordered overtime for everyone.

"His girlfriend is a restaurateur. Including this one, she owns three of the hottest restaurants in town. All very stylish, all very successful. She and I got talking at the party about her plans for a new restaurant. She wanted to do something new, risky, unusual. Turns out she was still looking for investors. And I'd just gotten the advance for my new book," Castle shrugged his shoulders. "It's a good investment."

"So you bought it?" Kate looked at him with wide eyes.

Castle laughed, "No, I'm a silent partner."

"You didn't tell me," Kate groused. He'd kept it a secret from her.

"It was a surprise," Castle leaned in, "I wanted to take you to the opening but we were knee-deep in the middle of a case and the media had been sniffing around my private life again."

She nodded in understanding. The new Nikki Heat was coming out soon and Gina had been plugging the novel and its author non-stop the last two months.

"So I figured I'd take you out here for our anniversary. The owner's very discreet." Castle said with a smug grin on his face and Beckett rolled her eyes. "No seriously. That's something Melanie and I discussed. I mentioned that I always found it annoying that most of the nice, upscale restaurants in New York are always frequented by the in-crowd where it's always all about seeing and being seen. I may have expressed my frustration with finding a nice romantic place, where I can take my girlfriend, without paparazzi waiting at the door. So we came up with the design of this place. Romantic, intimate and discreet."

"The valet service", Kate realized. She hadn't seen a single reporter there around the entrance.

"For instance."

Their waiter showed up at the table, taking their drinking orders. They realized they hadn't even glanced at the menu and apologized.

"So as the owner, is there anything you can recommend?"

"Definitely not the squab nor the quail." Castle smiled, "Just kidding. Didn't want to come here without you the first time."

She gave him a sweet smile before she started to peruse the menu.

0~0~0~0~0

In between the aperitif and the main course, Castle reached into his pocket and pulled out a little box. He placed it on her half of the table with an expectant look. "Happy anniversary, Kate." He heard her gasp.

Beckett eyed the dark velvet box suspiciously, as if it would catch fire any minute. Her hands were paralyzed on the table, her throat dried up quickly. Her fingers turned all sweaty and her heart threatened to jump out of her chest. She swallowed and glanced at him. "Castle", she finally managed to choke out but made no move to touch the little object on the table. Kate wasn't stupid; she knew exactly what this was.

"It's _not_ an engagement ring." He quickly explained, reading her thoughts. Well that wasn't entirely true. When he had bought it, he had done so with two possible outcomes. Seeing how the panic befell her the minute she spotted the box, he knew she wasn't ready. Plan B it was then.

"You can open it," he nodded at her with an encouraging smile. _Go ahead, it's safe to open it, no strings attached_. He saw the tension leave her body as she breathed a sigh of relief, which was immediately replaced with a different emotion. A look of… regret? Interesting. Maybe they _were_ ready for plan A after all.

"I wasn't asking for a ring, Castle." She eyed the box warily. "That's not what I meant when I asked you where we're going."

"I know. That's why it's not an engagement ring _yet_", he stressed and her eyes flew up wide open, "not until we've moved in together at least and had that big talk about our future, you know, marriage… and kids."

"Are you asking me to move in with you?" She looked at him amused. If he bought her a ring like this to convince her to move in with him, she couldn't wait to see the rock he'd put on her finger when he proposed.

"I'm saying I'm open to the idea whenever you're ready. I don't want to push you. You asked me where we were going last month and, well, I don't know _where_ we're going but I know that I want us to go together."

She nodded in understanding, a shy smile spreading on her face. The ring was something of a promise for everything to come, when they were ready. She giggled, "What are we, fifteen and back in high-school exchanging promise rings?"

Castle just grinned. "I don't need a ring to promise you always."

She finally snapped the box open and gasped.

"It's beautiful", she whispered, glancing up at him.

"It doesn't do your beauty any justice", he replied and leaned in. Normally she would have rolled her eyes at him for saying something so corny, but she just reached for his tie to pull him closer so she could kiss him. The kiss was chaste, they were in a public place after all, but full of promises for later tonight, once they'd get home.

He pulled back and took the ring out of the box. Kate held out her right hand and let him slip the ring onto her finger. "I was going to get you earrings", she let out a soft chuckle, remembering the Valentine's Day fiasco, "when I saw it. I just had to get it for you. It's so elegant, so classy, so _you_." He grinned at her. He didn't mention the part where his mother's words had been ringing in his ears about rings and commitment. He wanted Kate to wear his ring that would tell all other men to back off because she was his and his alone.

She pulled her hand back to inspect the ring more closely. "It's breath taking, Castle. It's…" she was at a loss for words. No one had ever given her such a beautiful piece of jewelry.

"Perfect", he supplied with a smirk, "Like you are." He looked at her with that lovesick gaze that always melted her heart a little. God, she was such a goner. He reached for her hand again and brushed his thumb softly over her knuckles.

"I hate that I cannot show you my affections openly, whenever I want." She opened her mouth to say something but he closed his eyes and shook his head slightly, as if to say, _doesn't matter_. "Sometimes I just want to be able to hold you in my arms, when a case is particularly tough, and whisper in your ear that everything will be alright. I want to take you out to nice restaurants, I'd love to show you off at my parties, I want to be able to kiss you hello and good-bye like a normal couple."

She wanted all those things, too. They'd been together for a year now and they'd proven that they could do their jobs just as well as before they started sleeping with each other. Nothing had changed, except now she was even a bit more scared for Castle's life when they went out to arrest someone. Especially now that Castle would follow her commands even less, trying to protect her from gun-wielding criminals. Stupid fool. More than once they had a loud fight over his stupidity when they got home. _Home_. Just _where_ was home these days? They seemed to be spending more time at his loft than her apartment lately.

"Castle", she sighed. "It's not that I don't want those things…"

"I know. I share your concerns and I understand your reasons and most of all I respect your decisions, but that doesn't mean that sometimes…" He trailed off with a sigh. "So when you need me to hold you and I can't, when you want to kiss me and we can't, I want you to look at this ring as a token of my affections and know that when we get home, I'll hold and kiss you for as long as you need." Oh he was good. She shouldn't be surprised anymore, he was a writer after all, and he'd more than once made her cry with those beautiful things he whispered in her ear, but one year into their romance she still hadn't gotten used to it. He'd quite possibly just melted her heart with his words. She really should check for big puddle under the table because she felt all funny inside. Part of her wanted to grab him at his tie again and drag him home to make love to him right away. Her hungry stomach, however, immediately protested at this thought and reminded her why they were here. He brought her hand up to his lips so he could kiss her knuckles softly. "I'd never take you for granted, Kate. I love you with all my heart."

"And I'm sure jealousy has nothing to do with you wanting me to wear your ring. Just in case I have to babysit other handsome millionaires who'll try to cop a feel?"

"He tried to cop a feel?!" Castle almost shouted.

"Shh!" Kate shook her head, "Sorry bad choice of words. I swear he didn't. He tried to kiss me but I pushed him back."

"That's all?"

"That's all there ever was."

"But you enjoyed him chasing after you?"

Instead of giving him a straight answer to his question, she opted for more truth, "He asked me, you know, about you and me… if we were in a serious relationship."

Castle swallowed, "And what did you say?"

"I told him yes that we're together and that we're serious."

Castle breathed a sigh of relief. It was short lived, though, when he saw her gnawing on her lower lip. "But…"

"But I hesitated for a moment because the truth is, I don't know if we are. I mean I know we love each other but what are we doing here, Castle?"

"You hesitated?" Castle looked at her hurt and worried, "Because he kissed you and you liked it?"

"No, he kissed me afterwards but that's not the point. The point is that I don't know where we're headed with this."

"Not the point?! What kind of a jackass kisses another man's woman? I'm gonna break his bones, he's officially off the LSL." Castle was seething.

Beckett just sighed and rolled her eyes, shaking her head. Men really didn't get it, did they ever. He started to sound as if he was talking about her like his property.

"What are you really upset about? That I let another man kiss me or that another man tried to take away your toy?"

"Don't be ridiculous, Kate, of course you're not a toy." He shook his head. Well, at least he got that part right. "Though I love playing with you!" He wriggled his eyebrows at her. Suddenly his face fell. "You _let_ him?" He squeaked high-pitched.

Uh-oh. Overshare. Kate lowered her head embarrassed.

"Why?" He looked at her forlorn. "Why would you do that?"

"Because I was mad at you!"

"This whole thing… this… it was all about a stupid video game?" He looked at her in disbelief. "I already apologized for that."

"No. Yes." Kate closed her eyes and shook her head. She wanted to rub her hands across her face in frustration. This evening was quickly taking a turn for the worse. Why'd she let their conversation get this far? "Not _just_ the video game. He came on to me, yes, but I told him that I was seeing you. And then when he asked me how serious it was and I hesitated he called me on it. And he was right because I don't know what this thing between us – whatever it is – leads to. And I know it's complicated because of work and our past relationships and history but all I could think about was that… I don't know… that morning at the precinct when you were jealous was the first time in a while that you looked at me like you used to. I mean you barely looked at me the night before and I was standing half naked in front of you, Castle. And then I thought about all the other times and I've realized that recently it's been mostly me who initiated sex and intimacy and what if you didn't really find me attractive anymore. What if you're one of those guys for whom it's all about the chase and now you've got me you no longer want me."

"You really think I'm that shallow?" He asked hurt.

"You ditched me for a video game."

"And I said I was really sorry for that." His voice was now laced with anger.

"I mean what if we're finally imploding like we've feared all the time? What if you're wrong and it _does_ matter that we make no sense on paper? Maybe that's how it plays out? Maybe this is how it starts? You playing video games and me being attracted to other men? Maybe you're starting to push me away and haven't even realized it yet because I'm not really what you want? What if you're really in love with Nikki Heat and not me? How can I possibly live up to a fictional character you created to fulfill your sexual fantasies?"

Castle sat there shocked and open mouthed. "Kate", he interrupted her but couldn't find the right words. He was speechless. "I didn't know." He looked at her helpless, he was truly at a loss for words. Oh the irony. He was a wordsmith and when he needed it the most his profession was failing him. "I don't know what to say, except how sorry I am. Where… where's all this coming from?" He had no idea, _no idea at all_, that she'd felt so insecure in their relationship. He didn't even know where to start. She'd dumped so much on him, he had a hard time figuring out what he should address first. Where she needed reassurance from him the most.

"I tried to talk to you that night but you weren't taking me seriously and it's been eating away at me ever since. You've been avoiding me."

"No, I haven't", he protested.

"Yes, you have. Don't think I haven't noticed the secret glances and looks at me as if you're trying to hide something from me since Vaughn kissed me. Every time I've tried to talk to you, you've been brushing it off, claiming it's about your book. Have you forgotten that I'm a detective and pretty good at my job? I know when you're lying and you, my dear, have been deflecting for weeks now."

Castle sighed. "It's not what you think."

"Then tell me. If it has something to do with us, don't you think I deserve to know? You're taking me out to dinner and buy me a nice gift for our anniversary but you're acting as if you're secretly plotting the demise of our relationship. You pushing me away and showering me with gifts is sending mixed signals. It confuses me. And honestly it scares me a bit." Josh would always buy her gifts to buy off his guilty conscience. She hadn't really felt hurt back then because her heart wasn't really in the relationship, but it was different with Castle. It set all kinds of alarms off in her that he'd done something he felt he needed to buy her forgiveness for.

"It was something my mother said, ok?"

"Martha told you to break up with me?" She looked at him panicked.

"What?! No!" Castle closed his eyes and shook his head slightly, "I wasn't planning to break up with you. Trust me, nothing could be further from what I want than leaving you. Would I be taking you out like this to dump you on our anniversary no less? What I've been trying to figure out the past weeks is if this", he pointed at the ring on her finger, "should be an engagement ring or not."

Beckett's jaw dropped in surprise. So her first impression had been right after all. Her chest suddenly felt constricted again and her breaths came out shorter. There was no way they were anywhere near ready for this. How can he go from completely ignoring her to proposing to her in a matter of days?

"You were spending the night with Vaughn, and though I trust you, it was driving me crazy. And I was right, wasn't I? He _did_ come on to you. Alexis reassured me that you were crazy in love with me and committed to our relationship."

"Thank you", Kate grumbled, "at least there's _one_ adult in your family."

"But then mother said that you're not really all that committed, are you?" He continued ignoring her previous jab, "I mean there's no ring on your finger. It's not like we're married with kids, you can end this relationship any day if you want. I couldn't stop you from leaving me."

"Wearing a ring or having children hasn't stopped people from leaving each other, either." Kate pointed out.

"I know." Castle shrugged, "What I mean is I realized we haven't really defined our relationship. And then you accused me of taking you for granted, and I realized that for the most part I've just been holding on to my seat and enjoying the ride. I mean, I've chased you for four years and I finally got you and what a ride you are, Beckett!"

"Castle!" She chastised him. "Don't be so crude."

"I didn't mean it like that, although I quite enjoy that, too."

She rolled her eyes at him. "So why did you brush me off when I asked you where we're going?"

"Because it wasn't the right time. It was the worst possible moment for us to have this discussion."

"Come again?" She raised her eyebrows in surprise, not understanding his logic.

"Because I'm an idiot who rushes into things without thinking and I don't want to screw this up. I needed to think first, Kate, I needed to figure out what's the right step for us at that point. If we'd had that conversation that night I would have done something very stupid and probably scared you away… like asking you to marry me."

"Why couldn't you just share that with me? Why couldn't you just say that? Why did you have to brush me off like that?"

"I don't know it seemed easier at the time."

"Better yet, why wouldn't you want to figure it out with me? Why'd you even want to figure it out on your own? You're not alone in this relationship, Castle."

"I know but I'm scared, ok?" He looked at her miserably. "I've already got two failed marriages behind me and I don't want to add another one to that."

"Who says I'd agree to marry you?" She joked but it fell flat. He just looked at her pointedly. Okay, no jokes about marriage, he was clearly licking his wounds in that department in spite of all his bravado. He really _was_ scared.

"I don't want to screw this up, Kate." Castle confessed. "Remember early on when I was shadowing you and you asked me how many times I had been married?" She nodded, recalling the conversation vaguely. She'd been surprised he'd only been married twice. "I asked you if you'd ever been married and you said you're not really the if at first you don't succeed type…"

"… that when it comes to marriage I'm more of a one-and-done kind of girl." She finished the sentence for him. "Or something like that."

He nodded, "I don't want you go looking anywhere else anymore, Kate, because I'm done looking. I know what _I_ want. I've known since the moment you flung yourself at me all wet and dripping. I've been in love with you for two years, Kate, and I had a lot of time thinking about my feelings for you, while I waited for you to figure out that you love me, too. And here we are another year gone by and I still don't know if I am what you really want."

"Of course I want you."

"But do you _really_ want me, Kate? I mean do you really want me in a 'I want to spend the rest of my life with you' way? Because I do, Kate, I want it all with you and sometimes I'm just not sure that's the same thing you want. You're holding out on me and at first that was okay because we were figuring things out, figuring us out, and I've been so scared that you'll bolt again and re-erect your walls that I've let you call all the shots. And that was a mistake because somewhere along the line, we've fallen into this unhealthy pattern creating this kind of stalemate. I had no idea how insecure you felt about us. That's partly my fault because I haven't been good and voicing my own needs. I just thought you must know how I feel about you, seeing as I've been chasing after you for the better part of four years. I still want you and, God, I still need you. So badly. You have no idea!"

She smiled at him. "You're not talking about the sex now are you?"

"No", he shook his head, "I'm talking about how awesome it feels to wake up next to you. Going grocery shopping with you and that little eye roll you do when you catch me sneaking Coco Pops into the cart. When you snuggle up to me during movies and fall asleep on me after a long day at the precinct. I'm talking about all the times I _don't_ have to say what I think or feel because you just _know_, when you finish my sentences, or when you throw the most awesome surprise birthday parties for me. How you look at me when you think I'm not watching."

"I don't", she started to protest but he cut her off.

"Yes, you do. And it's adorable. And sexy. And cute. And that mixture of want and knowing in your eyes. My heart does a little flip flop every time I catch that look in your eyes. I love that you still do that to me. Love that you still check me out even though you know my body inside out."

"Well, now I know which parts of your anatomy to really appreciate." She grinned.

"This past year with you, it's been the best year of my life, in spite of everything we went through. Being able to share with you is what made some of it easier and I can't think of anyone else I'd rather share my life with than you. That's been a real eye opening experience for me because in neither of my previous marriages I've felt that strongly about sharing stuff. But with you it's different. And maybe I have given the impression that I don't really care about us so much or that I'm taking you for granted but the truth is I've been letting you call the shots in our relationship from the beginning. I was so scared of losing you again because I can't have had you and lose you. That's just simply not going to work, Kate. I need you. And maybe I should have been more assertive of what I want in our relationship, maybe I should have let you known sooner but I've known from the beginning that I want to be your one and done. And I've just been waiting for you to figure that one out too."

"You silly man, how can you possibly not know that you're the only man I want? I told you! A couple of times if I may remind you."

"Yeah but then it's taken you quite a while to tell me you love me. And like I said I was pretty sure that you'd bolt out of my bed if I tossed the condoms and told you forget about contraception, because I can't wait to knock you up so I have an excuse to marry you!"

Kate opened her mouth but words failed her. She cleared her throat quickly and tried again. "Is that what you want? Marry me and make babies?"

"Probably. Maybe. Possibly," he looked at her shyly. "It all depends on what you want. The only thing I can tell you for sure right now is that I want _you_ in my future. I wouldn't know what to do with my life if you suddenly left me."

"Children are a huge commitment." Beckett reminded him.

"I know. Remember, I'm the one who raised a daughter. I guess what I'm trying to say is, we really, _really_ need to talk soon about what exactly we want out of this relationship and figure out the stuff we can't compromise on and if they're deal breakers. Because every day I spend with you is going to hurt me exponentially more if you decide I am not what you want in your life after all."

"I love you, Rick. Never doubt for a minute that you're not in the picture when I imagine my future." She smiled at him. It was surprising how easily these words came across her lips these days, considering it took her like forever to say them the first time.

"I love you, Kate", he whispered back and they leaned in over the table to share a quick kiss.

They pulled back just when the waiter brought their entrées. She should probably let go of his hand so he could eat his food, but she didn't want to lose his touch. He showed no sign of eating, instead staring at her. With a deep sigh, she pulled her fingers out of his grasp and reached for her spoon, before her soup got cold.

0~0~0~0~0

Victoria Gates scanned the room out of habit: Once a cop, always a cop. She groaned with exasperation, when her eyes fell on the dark-haired man sharing a table with a brunette across the room. "You've _got_ to be kidding me."

* * *

A/N: Thank you to the two guests who have pointed out the fork/spoon mistake. The first draft of the story had them served their main course and not the entrées and so I missed this mistake. Also for those who are wondering, this is a multi-chapter fic and I plan for weekly updates around weekends.


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: Obviously this story takes place before "Still", "The Human Factor" and "Watershed. This is what I would have liked, and still would like, to see before Beckett accepts Castle's proposal. Oh and can I just say, wow! I don't think I've ever had so many follows for a story I wrote. You humble me._

* * *

Victoria Gates scanned the room out of habit: Once a cop, always a cop. She groaned with exasperation, when her eyes fell on the dark-haired man sharing a table with a brunette across the room. "You've _got_ to be kidding me."

"What's wrong, honey?" Her husband leaned over the table concerned. "Something wrong with your food?"

Gates shook her head as if to say it's nothing. She kept glancing at the table near the corner, watching Castle with his latest flame. The woman had her back to her, but she was sure she'd read all about Castle's date on page six tomorrow. From the looks of it, she must be some new up and coming model: tall and slender figure wrapped in an extravagant dress and hairdo with the long legs and blonde hair-dye to prove it.

Her husband followed her eyes across the room. "Is that?" He turned back and looked at her surprised.

"Yep," Gates said through clenched teeth, "Just my luck Beckett's annoying shadow chooses tonight of all nights to flaunt his latest conquest to the media at the same restaurant I'm celebrating my wedding anniversary."

"We should go over and say hello," her husband suggested.

"No!" Gates shook her head vehemently, "And stop staring at them or he'll come over. I will not have Richard Castle ruin my dinner plans!" She looked pointedly in the direction of the writer and rolled her eyes. Too late, he'd already managed to ruin the evening. There was no way she'd get that image of Castle being pulled in at his tie for a kiss by his date. It was burnt forever into her memory. She quickly averted her eyes.

"If you ask me, this doesn't look like a recent conquest. They look awfully cozy," her husband commented, when his eyes shot up, "in fact, I think he may have just proposed to her."

"What?!" Gates looked up from her salad just in time to see Castle slipping an engagement ring on the woman's finger. _What the hell?_ Wait a moment, the ring was on her right hand. She pointed out to her husband, "It's on the wrong hand for an engagement ring."

"Well, they still look awfully cozy to be on a first date or something. This doesn't look like a recent thing."

"I know," Gates grumbled, poking her salad a bit more forcefully than necessary.

"Oh come on, you can't hate the guy so much, you begrudge him a little happiness in his life. God, if I looked half as besotted as he does when _we_ started dating…"

Her husband had a point there. Castle was completely enraptured by his date, hanging on her every word. They seemed to be deep in conversation, though she couldn't imagine what the little bimbo could possibly have to share worth listening to. She'd only seen him so enthralled around one other person. It was ridiculous but it didn't sit well with her to see Beckett's partner so spellbound by another woman. She'd so gotten used to him following the detective around like a lost puppy, it irked her somewhat that he'd show the same kind of fascination and adoration for another woman. She groaned out loud.

"What now?" Her husband raised his eyebrows.

"Nothing." Gates shook her head. She had to get that stupid writer out of her head before he messed up her brain even more.

"Seriously, if it bothers you so much that he's here, we can leave. I just don't understand what's the problem. I mean the guy's obviously trying hard to win you over with the dolls…"

"Which he destroyed," Gates reminded him.

"And replaced or have you forgotten his Christmas gift?"

"What about the earrings? That was so out of line!"

"I found it amusing!" Her husband shrugged his shoulders. He'd actually guffawed, when his wife came home on Valentine's Day recounting the writer's latest antics.

"It was embarrassing and unprofessional!"

"I think you're overreacting. I get that you're worried about your precinct's reputation and image but so far he hasn't really done anything to tarnish it."

"He and Beckett went behind my back. He constantly undermines my authority. He has no respect for authority at all, period. It's all one big murder mystery dinner for him and I refuse to provide my precinct as his personal entertainment center. He's distracting my officers and I won't have him put my detectives' lives at risk."

"And still Beckett's team is the one with the highest solve rate almost every month. Coincidence? I think not." Her husband looked at her seriously. "They do their job just fine, don't they? So why not cut him and Beckett a break, she obviously knows how to handle him. Perhaps it's time to accept the things you can't change anyway, and the mayor's made it pretty clear that Castle's to stay however long he wants. So stop wasting so much energy on being mad at him and just let them do their thing. Beckett's team obviously knows what they're doing, and if they consider Castle a valuable asset, you might as well give him a chance. He jumped into the line of fire for Beckett after all, if I remember correctly."

"Well, then why is he here with that… that _bimbo_ and not Detective Beckett?" She glared at her husband, whose face began to brighten with understanding. And really the way the woman was caressing Castle's hand and arm and throwing herself at the writer slut may have been the more appropriate word.

Gates had heard that story ad nauseam. Every precinct in Manhattan had been abuzz for weeks if not months with recounts of how Beckett's civilian consultant had thrown himself heroically into the line of fire to protect her from the assassin. When she got transferred to the 12th, she'd heard all the rumors about the writer and his detective muse. She didn't get to meet Beckett until a month later, but she'd found Castle standing in front of the murder board with detectives Ryan and Esposito spouting out theories. They'd been so engrossed in their work; they hadn't even heard her coming. They looked tired and she realized they must have been there all night.

"Oh I get it," her husband grinned smugly. "It's not so much about _him_ as who he is with."

"It's just _wrong_," Gates groaned and rolled her eyes at her own stupidity. "He's not supposed to date other women. Not when he spends all day drooling over _my_ detective in _my_ precinct."

Her husband looked at her somewhat amused. "Getting a little territorial here?"

"You should've caught the look in his eyes, when I saw him the first time at the precinct." Gates explained. What she'd seen there had fed into all the rumors she'd heard in the past few days. "That was a man on a mission who wouldn't rest until he caught the man who almost killed the love of his life."

"I'm pretty sure all her colleagues wanted to catch the sniper just as badly."

"Oh they did, Ryan and Esposito traded lots of sleepless nights too, but they didn't have that raw look in their eyes. I had to kick Castle out before he did something stupid and endanger the other detectives' lives leading them god knows where without proper back up."

For she'd also heard the rumors that Beckett got caught up in a thirty-year-old conspiracy that went all the way up to Washington and had already cost her mother her life. If what she'd heard through the grapevine was true then they didn't have the required resources to ensure her people's safety. Therefore when their leads turned cold and nothing new came up in Beckett's shooting, she shut down the investigation without a second thought.

"So yeah it bothers me a little bit to see Castle with another woman here, hanging on her every word, when he's supposed to be smitten with Detective Beckett. Especially when I think about his jealous antics during the Eric Vaughn case." She'd been so sure then that Beckett and Castle had somehow become romantically involved and almost cited them to her office, but then she'd heard the rumors from the bullpen that the only reason Vincent Vaughn survived the second attempt on his life was because he'd kissed Detective Beckett. If she'd really been dating Castle she wouldn't have let the handsome millionaire kiss her in the first place.

"Aw, Vicky, you're such a romantic at heart." Her husband smiled at her knowingly.

"Am not." She let out an irritated huff.

"Are too!" He insisted, "You're secretly rooting for them."

"What?"

"Getting all territorial and protective over your detective," he grinned. "You really like her, don't you."

"She reminds me of me when I started out."

"You _are_ such a sap."

"Do you want to get laid tonight or not?"

Her husband held up his hands to placate her. "Not saying anything."

0~0~0~0~0

"So what's my present?" Castle asked Kate with a smirk, fidgeting in his chair like an excited five-year-old. They'd eaten their entrées in silence, not only digesting the food but the words exchanged before.

His gift was in her purse. It took her weeks of scouring stores until she found it. He'd be thrilled she knew him so well. She supposed she could get it from her purse and slide it across the table. He would love it. But the Poe first edition would also keep for another occasion and his earlier words were still ringing in her ears. _It's not an engagement ring yet_. He was going to ask her eventually. He knew it and she knew it. It was only a question of time, they both knew it. But he was right about the other thing, too. They'd been together for a year and though neither of them had the courage to address it so far, they both knew the direction they were headed for. So for the past few months they'd been dancing around each other, dropping hints. Castle, bless his heart, still afraid of scaring her away, tried not to push her into anything she didn't want too fast or too hard. But she knew him, too, and she could read it in his demeanor and looks and gestures that it was all he could think about lately. He wanted them to live together and start making plans for a life together.

"You did get me something, didn't you?" His blue eyes were piercing her with his excited look.

"Yes," Kate grinned, "I did get you something but judging from your fidgeting I should have gotten you a more age-appropriate toy like a video game or something."

"Ha ha ha, detective, you're always so funny."

"But I think I have something better for you." Kate bit her lower lip, then smiled, "Let's… talk."

"Talk", he said dryly, disappointment laced in his voice and look. He deflated quicker than a hot-air balloon.

"Yeah, let's talk about our future. You've obviously been thinking about it quite a lot and are scared that I'm not ready for what you want. So let's find out how much reason you actually have to be scared."

"_The talk_?" His eyes lit up like a Christmas tree, "Really?"

"Yep, let's have that big talk. Hit me with your worst."

"About moving in and getting engaged and married and starting a family?" The words tumbled out of him in animatedly.

She nodded smiling, "Don't get _too_ excited, writer boy, I said talk not let's do it."

"Though _if_ we _did_ it, would that be the order of things for you?" He asked her keenly.

"Worried about my virtue?"

"More like concerned your father might have a shotgun among his fishing gear at that cabin of his."

"Don't worry, I've got a gun, too. I'll protect you." Beckett grinned.

He had already a witty repartee on his lips but realized that joking about how touched he was that she'd offered to shoot her father for him, and his mother a while ago come to think of it, would probably hit a little bit too close to home for her. "So where do we start? Living arrangements? Wedding plans? Joint bank accounts? Pet names! I've always been partial to…" He tried to keep it light and start with the easy stuff.

"So… Do you want another kid or not?" she interrupted him.

_Or go for the jugular_, Castle thought_. Of course, she would._

"Two." He grinned when he saw her eyebrows shoot up, "I always hated being an only child, and I hated for Alexis to have that experience when she grew up. I always wanted my kids to have siblings because I remember how alone I often felt, but I guess it wasn't in the cards for Alexis either."

"I kinda liked being an only child," Beckett admitted.

"Can we have a girl and a boy?" He looked at her.

"I don't think that's how it works. Pretty sure you can't pick and pre-order the sex of your kid." She looked amused.

"Oh but can't you just see us together? A little girl, the spitting image of you, and a little mini-me? I've already got Alexis but I've always wondered what it would be like to raise a son. I want my own mini-me."

Beckett threw her head back and laughed out loud, "Mini-you? God help us all!"

"It's a _mini-me_. Haven't you seen _Austin Powers_? However, none of this matters if we're not on the same page here. 'Cause let's face it, you'd be doing all the heavy lifting the first nine months." He reminded her. "So what about _you_, do you even want to have _my_ babies?"

She pursed her lips and played with the tablecloth nervously. She'd asked, it was only fair he'd ask her back. "I don't know. I mean, I like the idea of children, sometime in the future, I'm just not sure I'm ready for that step right now." Truth was she was scared to death she'd get pregnant right now.

"Well, it doesn't work that fast anyway. Not that I'd be a proper spokes person for that, 'cause all it took for me was one foolish mistake and… hole in one. But look at Kevin and Jenny. Even if we started trying right now, it might be months before we'd probably get pregnant. And then Mother Nature thankfully allows nine months for us to get used to the idea of taking care of another human being."

"I'm scared", Kate blurted out, "What if I'm not a good mother?"

"You'll do fine. You've been helping me raise a teenager the past four years. In my book that's baptism of fire."

Kate laughed. "What if I drop our baby?"

"We'll wrap him in bubble wrap and I'll furnish the loft with foam pads," he shot back. He took her hand and lifted it to place a soft kiss on her fingers. "We'll get there when we're ready. No sooner, no later. I promise. We'll make awesome parents, I'll be the fun one and you'll be the scary one with the gun." He grinned at her and then a mischievous spark flashed in his eyes. "And the baby-making sex is gonna be _amazing_."

She blushed and he fell in love with her a bit more. She thought about them in bed together, kissing and making love for the sole purpose of creating another life. Kate looked up into his beautiful eyes and she could envision the same pair of blues staring at her just like that, only they belonged to a little Castle with ruffled hair and fresh out of breath from telling her all about his day.

"You know, until now children have always been that abstract concept in the distant future," she started playing with her fork again, "but since I met you… I don't know… I guess it's become more concrete. You're the first man I can actually picture myself raising a child with. I don't know if it's because you're already a father or…" She sighed deeply. "I guess what I'm trying to say is, you're the only man I want to have kids with."

"What a fortunate coincidence then," he smirked, "that you're the only woman whom I want to have my babies."

Kate beamed at him. Sometimes it just still struck her that she was dating Richard Castle, world famous novelist, who could probably have any woman in the world with his charms, and yet he chose _her_ to spend the rest of his life together and have his children with.

"I love you", she said softly, her fingers playing with his hand. The ring and diamonds reflected in the light, sending sparkles dancing over the tablecloth.

"I'm not sure I'm ready for us to be quite over yet", he confessed.

"You mean sharing me with another person?"

"Yes, that too but, well, actually that's not what I meant." He shook his head, "I'm not ready for us to end. I want us to be together but I'm not sure I'm ready to give up what we have. I love seeing you everyday. I love working with you, building theory and solving crimes. It's like the best foreplay ever."

Kate smiled knowingly. More than once they got caught up so much in building theory that they had to go into their separate corners for a timeout, lest they jumped each other's bones at the precinct. Usually Castle left to get some coffee and Beckett buried her head in paperwork. Nothing kills passion quicker than a healthy dose of bureaucracy.

"If I moved in with you officially, all my NYPD paperwork would reflect my new address." Beckett nodded understandingly.

"Exactly. We'd have to tell Gates. If she found out your new address accidentally buried in some paperwork from HR, there'd be hell to pay. But I don't want to tell Gates because I don't want my ass to get kicked out again. I'm not sure the mayor would back me up against NYPD code violations. I love spending almost every minute of my day with you. I was afraid at first we'd start getting on each other's nerves, if we saw each other all the time."

"Yeah, me too. I'm so glad we work so well together as a team."

"See, and I'm not ready to give that up. If Gates separates us, I won't get to see you until the evening. And I'd really only get to spend your day off with you. And let's not even talk about the times we'd get interrupted because of a dead body. So no, I'm not quite ready to give that part of my life with you up."

"So… I'll keep my apartment and official residence there."

"Or we could get our own place together." Castle suggested, "The new address wouldn't be linked to me, we could get it in your name."

"No," Beckett shot his idea down immediately.

"Why?"

"Because you have a daughter who's a freshman in college and whose father is in a serious relationship for the first time in years and I will not take her home away from her. I still remember how hard it was for me when I left for college and then when… when my dad sold our old flat because he couldn't bear living there anymore with all the memories and even though I hadn't actually lived there for a year, it still felt like I no longer had a _home_ to come home to."

"Okay, we'll stay at the loft. Maybe we'll sublet your apartment. That way all your official correspondence from NYPD can go there and we'll have the tenant retrieve it for us and we'll pick it up." And suddenly Castle grinned, a new idea forming in his head, "I think I already know a potential tenant for your apartment. Alexis has been complaining about the noise in the dorms for quite some while and has been hinting that, while she'd never consider moving back in with me, she and some of her friends are looking to rent a place. I'm sure she'd love taking your apartment."

"You'd let your nineteen-year-old daughter live alone on her own in an apartment in New York City?" Kate looked at him flabbergasted.

'Point taken, we'll find a different tenant."

Their main course arrived and they shelved their discussion for later.

"Mmm," Kate closed her eyes with pleasure. Castle watched her savor her first bite, the fork slowly re-emerging from her luscious red lips. It reminded him of… he quickly reached for his glass and sipped some wine, before he'd let out a groan. "Oh this is delicious, Castle."

She smiled at him and noticed the smoldering gaze in his eyes. Slightly taken aback by the fierce gaze, she cleared her throat embarrassed. He's getting off on watching her eat pasta. She had an idea and scooped up more of her ravioli, holding up her fork. He quickly leaned across the table to take what she offered. She watched his tongue dart out briefly to lick the creamy sauce before his mouth enclosed around the pasta. Oh that's how he wanted to play it, she smirked; well, two could play at that game.

"How's your steak?" She asked innocently as she slipped out of her stilettos.

"Exce…" He choked and froze staring at her shocked. He could feel her leg rubbing against his; worse, he could feel her stocking clad feet running up his leg.

"Kate!" He hissed.

"Rick?" She popped a piece of bread into her mouth and sat there chewing slowly, the picture of innocence.

"What are you doing?" He whispered. The relief he'd felt when she pulled her foot back out from under his pants leg lasted only briefly, when she shuffled on her seat a little bit, and then he felt her foot in his lap. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. God, his pants felt suddenly two sizes too small. He opened his eyes again and glared at her.

"You're an evil, evil woman", he accused her reaching delicately under the table and removed her foot. How could she do this anyway? She was still sat perfectly poised on her chair, giving absolutely no indication that she was currently stroking her boyfriend's crotch with her foot. "Pure and absolute evil is what you are!"

She just smiled at him brightly, as if nothing happened, silently thanking the interior decorator for going with the floor-length tablecloth.

"Just for that, I'll make you pay when we get home!"

"Promises, promises," she flirted back. "Now eat your food before it gets cold."


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: _Thanks to everyone who goes to the trouble of reviewing my stories. I always strive to improve as a writer and apologize for the mistakes that sneak in._

* * *

"Oh would you look at them? Now they're _feeding_ each other." Gates glared at the table on the other end of the room. "Seriously what's _wrong_ with him."

Her husband sighed as he perused the desert menu. This has got to be the _worst_ date ever. He was slowly developing a dislike for the writer himself, even though he had yet to meet him personally.

"How can he do that to the poor girl?"

"Do what?" He looked up from the menu, mustering his wife.

"Cheat on her!" Gates rolled her eyes.

"Beckett?" He asked to clarify. "I thought you said they _weren't_ a couple."

"Of course, they aren't." Gates told him as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "That would be against NYPD regs and I'd have to shut down any budding romance between them immediately."

"Like codes of conduct have ever stopped people from falling in love with each other," her husband sneered.

"Right?" Gates rolled her eyes, "And those two have got it _bad_. You should see them at work. They have this weird thing going on, when they build theory. It's downright creepy. They finish each other's thoughts and read each other's minds. It's like foreplay for them. Watching them makes me feel dirty and want to take a shower."

"Well, if Castle's writing is any indication… that steamy scene between Rook and Heat…wow!" Her husband grinned. "I'm surprised they get any work done, let alone have the highest solve rate."

"And they think they're being oh so clever about it, you know? They really believe no one notices the stolen looks, the hidden touches, the slight invasion of personal space. They're doing a better job at fooling themselves than the rest of the precinct. First day at the 12th, sergeant walks up to me and asks me if I want to chip into the '_Caskett_ pool'. Apparently the whole precinct's been betting for years on when they get together. They've even given them a couple's moniker. You know like fans give TV couples and dating celebrities? _Caskett_ of all things, don't you think that's a bit too morbid?"

Her husband laughed out loud.

"He's gonna break that poor girl's heart! Beckett's so heads over heels in love with him, even if she hasn't admitted it to herself. She's turned down a handsome millionaire for crying out loud just a few weeks ago."

"The Eric Vaughn case?"

Gates nodded, "Shoulda seen Castle that week. Thought I'd have to call an exorcist to get rid off that little green-eyed monster that took possession of him."

"How do you know he's the one breaking her heart and not the other way round? Maybe he's sick of running after her like a lost puppy without her noticing? Maybe she turned him down? This could be his rebound girl." He nodded in the direction of the other couple.

Gates looked over to the other table.

That would explain a lot of things. The blonde flight attendant who suddenly started to flitter around her precinct, for one – Gates took care of that distraction immediately, reminding Castle politely of her no civilians in the precinct rule. Detective Slaughter and Serena Kaye, too. Maybe dating blonde bimbos was Castle's way of lashing out at Beckett and geting her jealous. And she'd have to say it worked every single time. Kate Beckett had been fuming when Slaughter had gotten Castle killed almost three times in a day, and she couldn't say she blamed her. Last thing Gates needed was to explain to the media why a certain writer had met his maker under her watchful eye. Well, technically Beckett's. Beckett's eyes which had taken on a dangerous glow every time the gang detective's name was mentioned. Gates had found that highly amusing. Of all the times she'd seen Beckett get jealous over Castle, the worst had always been when he'd been cheating on her professionally. Be it Slaughter or Serena Kaye. Kate Beckett didn't like to share. She was a one-writer girl and it worked both ways. Especially when it came to building theory and catching criminals. That was a sacred bond between her and Castle no one else was allowed to intrude on.

Beckett was furious and doing a poor job of hiding it from anyone. Even she'd picked up on the heightened tension between her and Castle. She'd almost considered pulling her aside to tell her to get him out of her system already, before it started to affect their professional relationship at the precinct. In the end it didn't matter anyway, because Beckett quit. Gates was really surprised that her star detective hadn't hooked up with her plucky sidekick over her suspension. She'd overheard Ryan and Esposito talking about Castle's hot date with a TV anchor in the break room months ago. Maybe he _was_ trying to make Beckett jealous again. Could he be anymore obvious, though? Probably anyone but Beckett herself realized what Castle's recent arm candy was all about. However, with Castle dating hot TV anchors and Beckett requesting time off on weekends, indicating that she was seeing someone on a regular basis, they clearly were not together. And just what the hell was wrong with her spending her anniversary dinner analyzing Castle and Beckett's relationship?

0~0~0~0~0

"Small or big?" He prompted her over dessert.

"Huh?"

"Our wedding, small affair or big event?"

"Who says I want to marry you at all?" She looked at him seriously.

"What?" He looked at her shocked, but didn't fall for her trick this time. "You'd let little Nikki and Jameson grow up in sin?"

"We're not naming our kids after our novel alter egos." Kate looked at him sternly.

"Fine, never mind," Castle brushed that debate aside. "Why don't you want to marry me?"

"And be Mrs. Castle, trophy wife number 3?" She challenged him and Castle began to worry she was serious after all and had changed her mind already.

"I've never had _trophy_ wives. Why would I start with you? Meredith's an actress, Gina's my publisher – that won't be a problem for you, by the way, that I'm working for my ex-wife?" He looked up at her worried.

"I haven't really thought about that," Kate confessed, "but I don't think so." It hadn't really been an issue so far. Unlike Meredith, Gina had not felt the need to observe and analyze her ex-husband's new relationship up close and personal.

"Good, cause I kinda like Black Pawn. But back to why you don't want to marry me. Nothing would change Kate. Of course, I'd like for you to come with me to book launch parties and stuff, but I won't force you into the limelight. You'll still be Kate Beckett, NYPD Detective extraordinaire."

She broke out into a grin and Castle's lips tightened as understanding dawned on him.

"You're such an easy mark, Castle," she laughed.

"And you're just cruel, Kate. Really, _really_ cruel." He countered pouting. She reached for his hand but he pulled back.

"Don't be such an idiot, Rick, course I'll marry you." She lifted his hand and let her words caress his skin. He glanced at the ring he'd just slipped onto her right ring finger an hour ago. Beckett caught his glance and shook her head no. "Not tonight."

"But soon?" He looked at her hopefully.

"Soon," she agreed.

"How soon?"

Kate rolled her eyes and put his hand down, "Don't push it."

"Fine." He huffed, looking like a five year old who just lost his favorite toy. She had already visions of him trailing after her at work and the loft, asking, "Now?" every two minutes.

"What kind of wedding would you like? Spring wedding? Summer wedding? We could get married on the beach in the Hamptons. Or would you prefer a church wedding?"

She raised her eyebrows, "Honestly, I don't know."

"Oh come on, Kate, you must have thought about your wedding day."

"Told you, I've never ripped out a page with a wedding dress."

"And I still don't believe that."

Kate sighed… her Beckett sigh when she was irritated with him. Uh-oh. He was in trouble now.

"Look, maybe I _made_ plans when I was younger." She took a deep breath, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "But all these plans were made _before_… my mom was stabbed to death. I haven't seriously thought about weddings or babies or anything like that since then."

"You can still have the wedding of your dreams," Castle interjected. He reached across the table to clasp her hands in his. "Even if your mother is gone, your dad is still going to walk you down the aisle, and I'll still be waiting at the altar for you," he smiled boyishly. "A nervous wreck no doubt because what if you came to your senses right before you're about to tie the knot with me."

"It's not that," Kate smiled at him, "I'm just not the same person I was back then. Yes, I do miss her and it hurts to know that she won't be there on my wedding day…"

"But?" He looked at her with so much love her heart skipped a beat. She started to absentmindedly brush her thumb over the soft skin on his hand. Desk job skin, she'd called it once to tease him, when she had just started to explore his skin and body after they got together.

"Does it really matter?" She looked at him and saw his confused frown, "What I mean is does it really matter how you get married? Making all those plans for a wedding, for a future together, for a _lifetime_…"

"… when it could all just be taken away from you in an instant… when you least expect it?" Castle finished for her. She looked at him grateful that he understood.

"I'm not gonna lie, Kate. I _am_ planning a future for us because I _do_ want to spend the rest of my life with you."

"Me too!" She interjected to reassure him and they both smiled at each other. "It's just…what happens if we make all those plans and never get around to doing them? What if something happens, what if…"

Castle shook his head, not even letting her finish that thought. He had a good idea of what she was going to say and he refused to even consider the possibility of her getting shot again. "Then we'll adjust and make new plans... _together_."

"I can't marry you, Richard, if you refuse to at least acknowledge the possibility that I might not come home from my job one day. It _is_ a reality. And if I _am_ to marry you and start a family with you, I need to know that you'd be able to handle that."

"I don't know if I _can_ live without you anymore," he said so quietly she had to strain her ears to hear him. He was avoiding her eyes to hide the pain in his eyes from her. Beckett realized that he had already been there once when she got shot. He had watched the life drain out of her before. He had watched her die in the ambulance. "I know that I don't _want_ to live without you anymore. I can't go through that again, Kate. I can't watch you die a second time." His voice caught in his throat.

"Hey", she squeezed his hand softly, "I'm not saying it's gonna happen again. But I need you to promise me, if something happens to me, you'll try to carry on. For me, for Alexis, for your mother… and for _our_ kids."

He looked up at her torn between brooding and amusement. "Does that mean it's a yes for a boy _and_ a girl? Cause you just said kids as in plural."

Kate rolled her eyes, "You may realize that if our first kid is a boy you'll have a daughter and a son already and we're done."

Castle wriggled his eyebrows at her, "And you may realize that we might end up with half a soccer team of girls before I finally get my son."

Kate's eyes widened in shock. "Nope. I draw the line at three. You get three shots, Castle, to get it right, then you're out of luck."

"Now look who's the crude one!" Castle teased her.

"I didn't mean it literally."

"Yes, you did."

"No I didn't."

"Liar!"

"Seriously, I hope we have sex more than three times during the length of our marriage!" Kate raised her eyebrows at him pointedly.

"We'll see. I already raised you from one to three in one dinner. Give me a couple years and we'll have a complete soccer team. It's not like we can't afford a large family."

"About that…" Kate bit her lip. She wasn't sure how to broach the subject of his wealth without hurting his feelings. He cocked his head, looking at her intently. Castle had a pretty good feeling which turn this conversation was taking. "I don't want to feel like a kept woman."

"Do I make you feel like a kept woman now?"

"No," Kate shook her head immediately, "the gifts are nice," she glanced at the ring he'd just given her, "and it's okay to splurge once in a while on a ring and a night out at a ridiculously expensive restaurant…"

"Well, the way I see it, any money I spend here comes right back", Castle grinned and she rolled her eyes. "But you were saying…"

"I don't know how to put this because I don't want to offend or hurt you", she was still looking for the right words. "I want us to be equals, I guess."

"We _are_," Castle insisted.

"We are _not,_" Beckett corrected him. "You're a wealthy mystery writer and I'm a cop on a government salary."

"So? We both _earn_ our livings. Granted, mine pays disproportionally better and yours is disproportionally more important, but…" He trailed off. "Does my wealth bother you?"

"It's just that you enjoy that life of luxury and I know you love spoiling me but I'm still struggling to adjust to a lifestyle that includes maids, and weekends in the Hamptons, and town cars with chauffeurs. It's not like I grew up poor, but this …" she waved her arm around aimlessly, "still feels a bit overwhelming sometimes. And I don't know, maybe what I'm trying to say is that I've taken care of myself the past ten years and it's a huge adjustment to get used to the idea that suddenly I have a boyfriend with 20k pocket change who wants to pay for _everything_."

"First of all, I never carry around that much cash," Castle quipped and Kate glared at him. He reached out to hold her hand to reassure her, "It's certainly _never_ been my intention to make you feel less worthy of _anything_ because your salary is lower than my royalties. And you _know_ that." He looked at her pointedly until Kate begrudgingly conceded he was right.

"I just don't want you to spend obscene amounts of money on me."

"First of all, I'm not spending _obscene_ amounts of money on _you_. Second, I'm spending them on _us_, because every time I buy you something nice I get to watch you enjoying it. Third, you kinda earn what I spend on you, anyway, seeing as you're my muse and inspiration for _Nikki Heat_."

"Now that last part right there…" Kate rolled her eyes, "When you say it with a salacious voice like that you make me sound like the very definition of a kept woman. You're practically screaming sexual favors."

"What? I meant when I shadow you at work." He looked at her innocently.

"Subtext, Castle," Kate pursed her lips, "and not very subtle at all."

"Fine. But really why is it so wrong that I want to splurge on the woman I love? Are you afraid that it's not gonna last? Is that it? Do you think we'll end up getting divorced anyway?"

"No."

"Then what's the problem? If it helps you all the money I spend on you, I spend ultimately for my personal gain anyway. If I buy you the dress you've secretly ogled when we last went window-shopping, well, _I_ get to see you wear it. Better yet, most of the time I get to take it off of you! Same for the jewelry. The books I buy you? I read them after you're done, so we can talk about them. The laser tag outfit? Well, _someone_ has to play against me for a thousand points now that Alexis is at college and her rightful successor is still only a horny thought in my mind right now. I'm spending money on _us_ and there's nothing wrong with it. Should I just let the money sit in a bank account and accrue value for when I'm dead? That doesn't make sense to me. I'd rather buy nice stuff for my friends and the people I like and enjoy seeing them put it to good use."

"You know Javi and Ryan would _love_ a Ferrari. Each." She teased him.

"So we're good?"

"Yeah," Kate drew her eyebrows together, "I just want to contribute you know. Feel like I bring something into this relationship. I don't wanna live off of you. I'm already practically living in your loft, eating all your food…"

"Kate," he interrupted her, "really?"

"What?"

"You're obsessing about groceries." He looked at her.

"So?"

"Do you even know how ridiculous this sounds? If who's buying the groceries is your biggest worry about our imminent marriage, then by all means, be in charge of our household spending."

"I'm not sure I wanna see your weekly budget. It probably is my monthly salary."

"Look, how about this. We'll sit down with my financial advisor and look at our monthly spending that should give us a rough ballpark figure of what we'll put into a joint bank account. We can split it 90/10."

"Fifty-fifty." Kate countered.

"Seventy-thirty. That's as low as I'll go." Castle crossed his arms. She was cute but ridiculous. He knew Kate would have a heart attack if she saw how much he spent monthly to keep up his life-style. 90/10 was already really pushing it for her, and she was bartering with him as if they were at some kind of oriental bazaar. So he came up with a better idea. "How about this. We'll take 50% of your paycheck and put it into the joint bank account and I'll contribute the rest."

Kate mulled it over for a few moments. "I'd have a stroke if I saw your monthly spending wouldn't I? I could barely cough up the 10% you originally proposed, right?"

Castle smiled sheepishly and shrugged his shoulders. "What can I say? Boys will be boys."

"You and your toys." Beckett shook her head amused. "I like your second proposal. For now anyways. Let's see how that goes."

Rick nodded enthusiastically. "We can revisit it later. When the children are born we can leave your salary untouched and use it just for their college fund? Dad pays for food and clothes, mom pays for education?"

Kate grinned. She liked that even better. She knew realistically once they started a family the lines would probably blur anyway. Kids were expensive and Castle would insist on taking care of "his" kids. It would be nice to know that she could provide her kids with something more tangible, like a college fund, something they would hopefully appreciate when they're older.

Rick saw this as an opening to discuss something he had been trying to tell her for years. "You know, since we're being all open and honest here tonight, there's something I have to tell you."

Kate raised her eyebrows and frowned.

"Nothing bad," Rick appeased her immediately, "at least I hope so. Remember when I jokingly said that half of the _Nikki Heat_ royalties should go to you, since you're my muse and model?"

Kate nodded.

"Well you weren't having any of it and back then I knew already better than to argue with you about that."

"What did you do?" Kate asked him sharply, irritation laced through her voice.

"Look I've got more money than I can spend during my lifetime. I don't write books because I have to, I write because I love it. Alexis and my mother are essentially taken care of, if they ever chose to live the life of a socialite, which they wouldn't exactly do anyway. My point is…. Kate, if something ever happens to me, the _Nikki Heat_ royalties… they go to you. I want to make sure you're taken care of in case something happens to me."

"Excuse me? You did what?"

"I arranged for you in my will to inherit the rights and royalties to _Nikki Heat_ in the event of my death because ultimately she belongs to you. And since she's _always_ belonged to you, I've been kinda siphoning money off my _Nikki Heat_ accounts into a trust fund I've set up for you."

Kate looked at him speechless. He tried to gauge her reaction but he couldn't read her.

"I know you'd never have accepted the money if I gave it to you directly, so I let your 10% of the royalties accrue value in a trust fund over the years that's feeding various charity projects. At first it was a literacy program for underprivileged kids because of you know how we met and you like to read and I'm a writer and…" He started rambling nervously because she _still_ hadn't said anything. "But now the money's mostly going to your mother's scholarship… Kate? Say something? Please?"

"You know I never paid you back the money you provided for Dick Coonan." Kate said after a while.

"Huh?" He looked at her confused.

"The $100,000 you fronted to lure out mom's killer. I swore I'd pay you back."

"Oh believe me, Kate, you've more than paid back every single cent I spent that day in kind."

"And now you make me sound like a whore." She chuckled, knowing that was not at all how he meant it.

"Honestly, Kate, I'd have paid a million bucks to hear you say you love me and mean it. This. Here?" He pointed between them across the table, "That we're sitting here, having dinner together to celebrate our one year anniversary that's worth a hundred thousand alone. Waking up next to you every morning? Feeling you snuggle into my shoulder before you fall asleep? Knowing you feel safe enough with me to let your walls down? That's priceless, Kate. Can't put a price tag on how much I love you."

She leaned in to capture his lips softly in a chaste kiss, before she whispered against them, "Keep up the sweet talk and I'll make your _night_ worth a million dollars."

Castle grinned and kissed her back. "The lady has plans?"

Kate couldn't resist kissing him one more time, "Actually the lady is growing impatient."

"Fine, let me pay and use the _restroom_," at that he sent her an evil glare, "and then we'll _really_ celebrate." He looked up to signal the waiter for the check.

"Rick?!" She looked at him shocked, "Don't tell me you're still…?"

"Well, honestly, what did you expect, Kate? You've been massaging my knee and thigh for the past fifteen minutes! There's only so much self-control a man has."

Kate looked down startled, realizing she'd kept her hands mostly underneath the tablecloth, doing exactly what Castle had been accusing her off. She hadn't even noticed. She blushed a little, "I'm sorry. I didn't even know I was doing it."

"See what I mean? Moments like these? Priceless!"

0~0~0~0~0

"Oh, I'm sorry," Castle looked up when he almost crashed into another patron, as he excited the restrooms. "Iron Gates!" He exclaimed in surprise, "I mean, Captain, what a lovely surprise to run into you here."


	4. Chapter 4

"Oh, I'm sorry," Castle looked up when he almost crashed into another patron, as he excited the restrooms. "Iron Gates!" He exclaimed in surprise, "I mean, Captain, what a lovely surprise to run into you here."

Oh shit, shit, shit. Gates was here. How long had she been here? Did she know he was here with Kate? Had she seen them together? They'd been a bit careless tonight, holding hands and kissing during dinner.

"Mr. Castle," she mustered him through narrow eyes and tight lips. Oh God, she knew and she was not happy. Maybe if he played dumb and ignorant…

"Having a good night? The food here's amazing, isn't it?" Castle opted for small talk. He never saw it coming. Gates hit him on the head with her purse.

"What the..." Castle reached for the back of his head, "Captain?"

"What the hell is wrong with you?!"

"With me?" Castle shouted high-pitched, "I'm not the one randomly hitting people outside the restrooms!"

"How can you do that to her?"

"To whom?" Keep playing dumb and maybe you can talk your way out of this.

"Don't play stupid. I saw the way you look at her."

Castle gaped. Oh shit, she'd really seen them. Gates knew and… and they were so busted. "It's not what it looks like!" Castle defended himself and assumed she was referring to him jeopardizing Beckett's career at the NYPD. Maybe he could turn this around, before Gates fired both their asses. Well, fire Beckett's, he'd probably just get his one kicked out. Literally. She'd enjoy it, too.

"Oh really?! It looked pretty obvious to me from where I was sitting!"

"No, no, you don't understand. We're just having dinner. As friends."

Gates scoffed, "Friends don't look at each other like that!"

"Like what?"

"Don't play the innocence card with me, Mr. Castle. I've seen that look on your face before at the precinct around Detective Beckett. I know exactly what is going on here. I'd really hoped you had more taste and class than the playboy image the media portray but I guess the papers just print the truth after all."

"Captain, I don't know what you're talking about but I can reassure you my intentions are nothing but honorable here. I'd never risk her reputation or career over a meaningless fling. I'd never hurt her feelings."

Gates looked at him funny for a moment. "Looks like it's too late for that." She slapped her purse against his shoulder, "Seriously, what the hell are you thinking? Stringing the poor girl along for years with your flirtatious banter only to break her heart with some blonde model bimbo?"

"What?" Castle looked at the captain dumbfounded, rubbing his shoulder. What the hell was she talking about?

"I never should've let you stay on at the precinct. I knew you were bad news the minute I set my eyes on you. I'd really hoped what happened with your daughter a few months ago helped you get your priorities straight. Detective Beckett was beside herself with worry about you! The poor girl was ready to jump onto the next plane and go after you! How do you repay her? Flaunting your latest conquest in her face on page six when she opens the papers tomorrow morning."

Castle opened his mouth to say something, "Oh, you think…" A smile broke onto his face. "No, no, no, no….sir, I think there's been a huge misunderstanding, you see, I'm not cheating on Kate… in fact… funny thing it is", Castle started to explain and defend himself, but then he stopped abruptly. What the hell was he doing? Gates had seen him with Kate, but instead of firing both their asses, the captain hadn't recognized her detective and assumed Castle was on a date with another woman. Let her think he was cheating on Kate and they'd be in the clear for months at the precinct.

Gates fixed him with a glare through narrow eyes, waiting for him to clear up the situation.

"You know what, sir? You're right, and I'm so very, very sorry. I had no idea about anything of this. I'll talk with Beckett, explain everything to her. If only I had known how she... all the time... I mean really? I thought she found me annoying." Castle tried to put on an act that was worthy of his mother's acting genes.

Gates pulled a face that told him she clearly didn't believe him but then conceded, "Well, Detective Beckett has mentioned that you can be a little slow and dense on occasion."

"Oh did she now?" Castle titled his head. He'd get her back for that later. What was more important now was to get out of the restaurant before they got busted for real.

"You just had to go and turn my detective's head, didn't you? All that flirtatious banter may seem innocent and fun to you but she cares. She'd never admit it to herself but I saw the way she looked at you when Alexis went missing."

"That obvious huh?" Castle smirked.

"Oh wipe that smug grin off your face. I won't allow you to turn my best detective into your next conquest. I don't care what Montgomery thought about the whole Nikki Heat business, I don't like it. You stay away from her, you hear me? You couldn't leave well enough alone, so now you have to fix it. I swear to God, if you break Beckett's heart, I'll kill you and have Ryan and Esposito hide your body!" With that Gates turned on her heels and stalked away from the writer.

Castle looked after her flabbergasted. Had Gates just really? His train of thought was interrupted by a sudden epiphany, and he quickly called after her. "So does that mean you've just given me implicitly permission to fraternize with Detective Beckett if you're against me dating other women?"

But Gates was already out of earshot and Castle realized he'd better get back to their table and warn Kate before the shit hit the fan.

0~0~0~0~0

When Castle returned, Kate saw the confused and slightly horrified look on her lover's face.

"What happened, Castle?" She asked. "You've been gone like forever."

"Gates is here!" Castle hissed.

"What?" Kate exclaimed panicked. "Where?"

"I ran into her outside the restrooms."

"Oh my God, did she see us?" She started gathering her things.

"Yes and no." Castle replied.

"What?!" He was speaking in tongues now, "What the hell happened back there?"

"Well for starters, she hit me with her purse."

"What?" Kate stood up.

"Hit me. With her purse." Castle repeated, while he pulled out three hundred dollar bills and threw them on the table to cover the check and a generous tip. "Can you believe it?"

"What? Why?" Beckett stopped, "Actually I can. What did you do now?"

"Me? Nothing," Castle whined, "I walked out of the restroom, ran into her, apologized and before I knew it, she attacked me."

"That doesn't make any sense," Beckett looked at him confused. Nothing he said made sense. Castle grabbed her elbow and led her to the cloakroom.

"You tell me."

"Did she say anything? Did she recognize us? Are we fired?"

"Well here's the thing. If I deciphered her actions and words correctly, she actually gave us her blessing."

"WHAT?!" Beckett shrieked and the man in the cloakroom looked at her horrified.

"Shh," Castle shushed her, "do you _want_ us to get busted?!"

"What exactly did she say?" Beckett sighed. The man behind the counter returned with her coat and scarf.

"Well, it was really weird." Castle started to explain while he helped Beckett into her coat. "I may have misunderstood but I think she hit me because she thought I was cheating on you with another woman."

Kate's eyebrows shot through the roof.

"You look so cute when you do that." Castle grinned, while he slipped into his own jacket.

"Focus, Castle. Captain, purse, cheating." She reminded him.

"Right," Castle nodded his thanks to the man, tipped him quickly, and then led Beckett outside. "Well so she hits me with her purse, right, and then she suddenly accuses me of making eyes at another woman, when I'm supposed to only look at you that way."

"Castle, are you sure there wasn't something in your food? Maybe we should have you checked out? Maybe you got food poisoning? Are you delirious, honey?" She put her hand to his forehead to feel his temperature.

"I'm fine," Castle waved her hand away and reached into his pocket for their slip to give to the valet. Then he rubbed the back of his head, "Well, except for where she hit me. I think she packs a gun in that purse of hers!"

"But this doesn't sound like Gates at all!" Beckett insisted.

"I know!" Castle nodded rigorously, "It's totally creepy. And she _hit_ me, _Kate_! With her _purse_!" He shouted dramatically.

"Alright, so let's recap. Gates saw you at the table but she didn't recognise me. She's under the impression that you're dating some random floozy."

"Hey!" He interrupted, "My taste is impeccable."

"Oh, I'm sorry, did I hurt your feelings with the truth?" Beckett shot at him.

He threw his hands up in the air, "I can't win this fight, can I?"

"No, now focus. So if Gates thinks you're cheating on me, it means she must think we're together. But that can't possibly be the case because if she _did_ know she would've long put an end to our relationship or given us an ultimatum." She looked at Castle, who shrugged. This was so confusing!

"Then again, if she's upset that you might be cheating on me, what does that mean? Does that mean she didn't say anything because she'd be ok with us dating?"

"I don't know. She didn't make a whole lot of sense back there." Castle shrugged his shoulders again. "What with her purse wielding ninja attack."

"Oh will you already get over that, Castle. So she hit you with a purse. Big deal. I'll kiss it better when we get home," Kate rolled her eyes.

Castle cocked his eyebrows, suddenly a lot more interested in what Beckett had to say. "She hit me in the crotch."

"Nice try," Beckett snorted, "Is that why you keep rubbing your head?"

_Dammit_, Castle pulled a face and hit the air with his fist. _So close_.

"C'mere." Kate purred and grabbed him by his coat lapels. "I love you, Rick. Gates finding out about us won't change that you know that, right?"

He nodded slowly. "Maybe tonight was a sign. Maybe we should just come clean."

"I don't know," Kate sighed and rested her head on his chest. "What did she seem like? You talked to her, I didn't see her." She mumbled into his coat.

"You know, call me crazy, but I think she actually cares about you. She gave me the riot act for leading you on, if I have no serious interest in pursuing a relationship with you."

"So she might be okay with us dating?"

"I don't know." He sighed and rested his chin on top of her her head. "She wasn't really clear on that. She also told me to stay away from you and threatened to have me killed and order Ryan and Esposito to dispose of my dead body where no one could find it."

Kate chuckled and lifted her head to look into Rick's eyes. "They'd have to get in line. Lanie's already called dibs on that."

"And don't I know it." Castle rolled his eyes. He reached out with his hands and lifted her chin a bit up, so he could place a sweet kiss on her lips. "I love you. Nobody can keep me away from you ever again. Don't care who threatens me with what, you're my girl."

"Your girl, huh?" Kate smiled and Castle shrugged his shoulders. "They mean well. Javi and Kevin have simply assumed brotherly duties, since they know I'm an only child."

"Yeah, well, Lanie and Gates could give them a run for their money."

"Wait a moment," Kate pulled back as she realized something, "if she accused you of cheating on me why didn't you just set her straight?"

"I was going to but then I realized why look a gift horse in the mouth? Let her think that's what's going and let it throw her off our trail for a while."

"And you're okay with her thinking that you're a lying, cheating bastard?"

"Not really but I didn't know what the right thing was in this particular situation. I didn't know what you wanted me to do. I figured you'd rather be there and tell her yourself on your own terms than her accidentally finding out or me trying to defend my reputation."

"That's sweet of you, Castle. Taking a hit for me."

"Always," he grinned.

"Where'd she hit you?" Kate reached around his neck with her arms.

"Right here." He pointed on his shoulder and Kate pressed her nose into his coat. "And here." He pointed to the spot at the back of his head and Kate ran her fingers softly through his hair there.

"Better?"

Castle gave an indifferent grunt. Kate leaned in and gave him a chaste kiss. "How about now?"

"A little."

She kissed him again. "And now?"

"Getting better."

Kate smiled. He was being overtly dramatic about it and milking it but she didn't care. She pressed her lips more forcefully against his mouth, demanding entry, so her tongue could soothe his pain with soft and sensuous strokes.

0~0~0~0~0

When Gates left the restaurant she stopped speechless, staring at the couple making out in front of her. Clearly, Castle hadn't heeded her message, advice, warning, whatever. While waiting for the valet to return his car, he'd pulled his date in for a very public lip lock. She rolled her eyes, when she felt her husband step up next to her. He took her hand and guided her down the stairs and came to a stop next to the kissing couple. He handed their slip to one of the valets and that's how they ended up waiting for their car next to a groping Castle.

Gates kept her eyes trained on the street until a moan caught her attention. Something was gnawing at the back of her mind. She turned a bit sideways to glance at the couple next to them. Friends, my ass. Friends don't kiss each other like that. Casual dates don't do either. Gates suddenly realized that Castle must have had this girlfriend for quite some time.

This was not the kind of frantic kiss that preceded a casual sexual encounter. There was a familiarity in the way her hands touched him, caressed him. Gates averted her eyes slightly embarrassed. This was well-rehearsed foreplay. Slow and passionate kisses traded back and forth to keep the flame burning until they got home where they could tear each other's clothes off. Castle was putty in the woman's hands. Whoever she was, she'd clearly wrapped the famous novelist around her little finger. Well, technically her fingers were buried deeply in his hair at the moment.

Castle and his date finally broke apart and she could see the profile of the woman a bit better, when Castle rested his forehead against hers. He was now whispering sweet little nothings that made the women purr like a kitten. Oh for heaven's sake, where was the valet with their cars?!

Gates scrutinized the woman's profile more carefully now. She had an uncanny resemblance to her best detective and suddenly the pieces fell into place for Gates. That's why he was so smitten with his date! She was a dead look-a-like to Beckett, from the height and build right down to the hair color. Inside, the light had made her hair look blonder than it actually was, outside in the natural moonlight it looked a lot more like the dark blonde/light brunette that Beckett was currently sporting. She was sure if the street lighting was a bit better, and she'd had a clearer view of the woman's face, she'd be able to make out the same brown eyes and similar facial features her best homicide detective had. Gates rolled her eyes. Apparently since Castle didn't have the real deal, he went for the next best thing. All the while still making gooey eyes at Beckett at her precinct. Her nostrils flared. Maybe her husband had been right. Maybe Beckett had been smart enough to fend of Castle and grown immune to his writer charms.

The woman grabbed Castle by his lapels and pulled him in for another passionate kiss.

0~0~0~0~0

They heard the car pull up behind them and Beckett slowly broke away from their kiss. Castle unwilling to end it, stood rooted to the ground, reveling in the moment until he heard her voice, full of innuendos and unspoken promises. He opened his eyes, looking at her slightly dazed.

"You coming, Castle?" Beckett teased him with a grin and turned around, ready to snatch the keys for the Ferrari from the valet. However, she stopped dead in her tracks, when she came face to face with Iron Gates.

"Captain!" Beckett squealed.

Gates stared at the other woman open-mouthed. She quickly recovered from her shock and settled into cop mode, "What the hell is going on here, detective?!"

Kate opened her mouth to reply but didn't know what to say. She felt Castle step up next to her, take her hand and lace their fingers together. She looked at him and he squeezed her hand softly. That little gesture released a flow of courage and assuredness in Beckett, as she straightened, ready to square off with her boss. "Castle and I had dinner at this restaurant," Beckett explained, she turned at him with a small smile reserved just for him, "to celebrate our one year anniversary."

There… all the cards were on the table now. No more hiding from anyone.

"Your one year what?" Gates looked at her, as the information slowly sunk in, "Your what? Since when has this been going on?"

"Well, as the term anniversary would imply," Castle began but Beckett stepped onto his foot, shaking her head no at him. Castle swallowed and quickly shut up. Too late Gates was already shooting daggers at him with her eyes. He sighed.

"Are you familiar with NYPD ethic code violations?"

"Yes, sir," Beckett replied, her hand grasping Castle's a little tighter. She was nervous; he could tell from the way her hand clenched his, and on instinct Castle took a protective step forward, bringing his arm around her shoulder and shielding her partially with his body.

"And you decided to start a romantic relationship with Mr. Castle anyway?" Gates continued her interrogation.

"Yes," Beckett replied unwaveringly and calmly. She was not going to apologize for loving Castle. They'd made it through one year together. This was anything but a mistake. He was her one and done and she sure as hell wouldn't let Gates take him away from her.

"Look, Captain, it wasn't her fault ok? I seduced her, just like you said. I turned her head. I wouldn't leave her alone until she caved in. I mean I practically harassed her."

"Are you admitting to sexual harassment at the workplace, Mr. Castle?" Gates looked at him amused. "Do you want to file a complaint, detective?"

"Shut up, Castle, you'll only make it worse." Kate ground out between her teeth. He made her sound like an impressionable teenager who couldn't think and make decisions for herself. She shook off his arm for good measure.

"Okay," Gates' husband suddenly spoke up, "I'm confused." Beckett and Castle snapped their heads curiously at the man behind the captain they hadn't noticed before. "So we _don't_ want them together now?" He looked at his wife for confirmation.

Castle and Beckett trained their interested eyes back onto the captain, who closed her eyes and muttered a curse under her breath. Gates turned around to send her husband a shut up look. The tall man held up his hands in defense, taking a step back to indicate he was done meddling in his wife's business.

Beckett and Castle suppressed a snort.

"Yo, pal, I don't think we're allowed to talk here," Castle shouted, rolling his hands in front of his stomach, "this is some weird female stand-off thing."

Kate gaped and tilted her head at him. Did he have a death wish?!

"Loved your book, by the way," Gates' husband piped up again, "Vicky brought one of your novels home a while ago. She stopped reading it halfway through, but I finished it and enjoyed every minute of it."

"Thanks," Castle replied, "Maybe if our wives don't kill us with their guns, I can sign it for you."

"That would be great. And no worries, no guns on our end. It's our anniversary, too."

"Well, congratulations!" Castle shouted back, then turned to Kate, "You packing, honey?"

Beckett just closed her eyes and shook her head. She must have slipped through a crack in the time-space continuum and ended up in a weird parallel universe.

"Thanks!"

"OH WILL YOU TWO SHUT UP ALREADY!" Beckett and Gates yelled at their respective partners.

"Oh looky there. Our car's here." Gates' husband nodded relieved toward a Taurus rolling up the sidewalk. He quickly hurried over to the driver's side and practically pulled the poor valet out of the seat at his jacket. "We need to leave, right honey? We don't want the kids to take the house apart while mom and dad are gone, do we?" He winked at Castle.

Gates took a deep breath, scrutinizing the detective and her partner in front of her. "This isn't over! My office. Tomorrow. 8 o'clock. Sharp. And there better be a long list of very good reasons why my top detective is breaking NYPD code and hiding it from me for _an entire year_!" Her voice increased in volume towards the end.

"Yessir!" Castle and Beckett chorused and watched as the captain turned on her heels and stalked to her car. They stared after her long after the Taurus had disappeared.

"That didn't just happen." Kate turned towards Castle.

"I don't know. Did it? It felt very real." Castle answered.

"Totally happened, dude. You're toast." The valet threw in from behind them. Castle and Beckett turned around to the kid with their best death glare. Kate walked over and snatched the keys out of his hand.

"Car. Now. Castle," she commanded through gritted teeth.

Rick complied quickly and hopped into the passenger seat. He watched Beckett round the car. This was _so not_ how he'd imagined this night to end. Kate shut the door a bit more forcefully than necessary but Castle bit his tongue. She stabbed the engine lock with the key aggressively, turned it and then revved the engine. Castle swallowed. Maybe angry Beckett driving a fast sports car wasn't such a good idea after all.

"You ok?" He looked at her, wincing.

She looked at him and her whole demeanor changed. "It wasn't your fault, Castle."

"Well, I did pick the restaurant…" He made a weak attempt at humor. How the hell had Gates gotten reservations at his restaurant anyway? They were booked solid. What kind of connections did she have anyway that he didn't know about?

Kate sighed and pulled into the street, "No one could have foreseen it. I mean what are the chances that Gates and her husband decide to celebrate their wedding anniversary at the same restaurant as we do?"

"I know!" Castle nodded, "It's like some bad sitcom. Knowing we share our anniversary with them makes me wanna pick another day."

Beckett laughed. Castle looked up surprised. She laughed and laughed.

"I mean we can technically pick tomorrow as our anniversary. It was pretty late when you showed up at my door and we could argue we didn't really get together until the next morning anyway since we didn't clarify before we slept together whether this was a one time thing or…." He rambled on.

"Castle?"

"Hm?"

"Stop babbling." She cast him a sideways glance. "And just so you know… when I kissed you the first time that night…"

"Yeah?"

She shrugged her shoulder, "That's when I knew."

"Knew what?"

"That we'd be really great together."

"I'm assuming you don't mean the sex now."

"No, Castle," Kate replied, as she changed lanes to take a left turn. "I didn't mean the sex. I just knew that I wanted to be with you. Forever. If you still wanted me. And when you _finally_ kissed me back, like _really_ kissed me back…"

"Yeah?" He interrupted her like an excited three–year–old during bedtime story.

She took her eyes off the road for a moment to tell him to his face, "it felt like coming home." He rewarded her with the sweetest smile, but she quickly trained her eyes back onto the road.

"Yeah?"

"Yep", Beckett nodded.

"So…" Castle started, reaching tentatively for her hand that was wrapped around the stick shift, "does this mean that I'm your one and done?"

"Guess you won't find out until you ask me," Kate replied casually and Castle gasped. "And don't you dare propose to me now."

"Wouldn't dream of it!" Castle exclaimed. "Don't want to share our engagement anniversary with Gates, too."

"I concur wholeheartedly." Beckett agreed as she pulled into the garage. She parked the Ferrari in his spot and undid her seatbelt. When Castle didn't move she looked at him curiously.

"Just so I know. Is anniversary sex off the table tonight?" He gave her his best puppy eyes.

Kate just rolled her eyes and opened the car door.

"What?" Castle yelled after her and quickly undid the belt. He slipped out of the car, just in time before she locked the door with the fob. "So is that a no?"

"If you keep talking all night, then yes, cause I know a thousand ways to make better use of your skilled mouth."

Castle beamed at her.

* * *

A/N: _I know Gate's behavior may appear a bit out of character in this story. I had this image stuck in my head where she hit Castle over his head because he hurt Beckett for something ridiculous and then it just snowballed into this story. I hope you had as much fun reading it as I had writing it. Thank you all for the encouraging reviews and continuous support by favoriting, following, reviewing or just simply reading my stories._


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